


If I May Propose

by SpicedGold



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon divergent (I imagine), F/M, In several ways because I'm indecisive, Other minor characters - Freeform, proposing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29427141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicedGold/pseuds/SpicedGold
Summary: Shikamaru and Temari have never been the most normal of couples, and it stands to reason that even such things as proposing were needlessly dramatic and outside of the norm.Here are several different proposal scenarios for them.
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Comments: 34
Kudos: 115





	1. Good Try Mirai

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't decide on one good way for them to propose to each other, so I wrote five, because I have the impulse control of a monkey.  
> Pick your favourite.

Temari couldn’t take her eyes off Shikamaru, and it wasn’t for any of the reasons she would have liked it to be for.

It was because she had never seen him like this. She had never seen him so . . . Quiet. And gentle. And . . . and not like the laid back, noncommittal Shikamaru she was used to.

She was trying not to stare, because she knew he would notice soon. But for now he was preoccupied, and that was part of why she couldn’t look away.

Sitting cross legged on the back porch, bathed in afternoon sun, Shikamaru was holding Mirai as she waved her arms and babbled wildly on about something. She sat on his folded legs, wiggling her stubby toes and leaning against his chest, talking and talking and talking.

Watching them together made some sort of weird, unfamiliar emotion stir in Temari’s chest. She tried to focus on the task at hand – filling in something for Gaara. She and Shikamaru were meant to be working on it together; they were meant to be at the Hokage building surrounded by books and papers, but he had asked her to bring everything to his house because he was ‘busy with something’.

She didn’t know ‘something’ was a small child.

And she didn’t know why she felt like she was truly seeing Shikamaru for the first time because of it.

Temari almost flinched when Shikamaru turned a smile to her, just briefly, before looking down at Mirai again and murmuring something to her. Mirai grinned, sending Temari a sideways glance, ducking her head away the moment their eyes met. She pushed back into Shikamaru’s chest, obviously seeking comfort in his presence.

Temari had never met Mirai before, and Shikamaru had never told her how much she meant to him. He’d mentioned her in passing – “My sensei’s daughter.” – but Temari hadn’t known how Mirai fitted into his life. She fitted like a puzzle piece, creating part of a whole picture.

Asuma – may he rest in peace – could claim that was his child all he wanted but it was shockingly clear that Mirai belonged to Shikamaru. She clearly adored him, smiling up at him, genuine and broad, leaning into him, holding onto him. It was mostly the way Shikamaru looked back at her that was causing the strange feeling in Temari’s chest – he was so soft and open and loving.

She had never seen this sort of gentleness to him. She had never seen this sort of tranquility in his movements.

He looked like a father. And he looked as though it was exactly what he was supposed to be.

On his lap, Mirai squirmed, hands grabbing at Shikamaru’s thumbs as he held her gently across the stomach.

“She’s looking at us,” Mirai said, tilting her head up to squint at Shikamaru’s chin. “Can you see?”

“Yeah.” Truth be told, Shikamaru was slightly amused at Temari’s reaction. She had been eying Mirai as though unsure of what to think of the child. It was fun to see Temari out of her depth; Shikamaru spent so much of his time around her flustered and at a loss for words, and it felt good to turn the tables.

Mirai wriggled around in his lap until she was facing him, standing up so their faces were level. She regarded him seriously, one hand gripping onto his shirt to keep herself steady, as though Shikamaru, hands on her hips, would ever let her fall.

“Is she special?” Mirai whispered, placing one hand against the side of her mouth to block Temari from reading her lips.

“Yes, she is,” Shikamaru replied.

“You love her?” Mirai’s eyes grew wide.

Shikamaru smiled fondly at the child. “Yeah, I do.”

“Hm,” Mirai contemplated that for a bit. “Are you gonna marry her?”

“I don’t know,” Shikamaru admitted. “I haven’t asked her yet.”

Mirai sent a furtive glance towards Temari. She quickly returned her gaze to Shikamaru. “When you gonna ask?”

“Soon. In a few months, maybe. But,” he said, tapping her nose with a finger. “It’s a secret, okay? You can’t tell anyone I’m thinking about it.”

“Secret,” Mirai repeated firmly. She put her arms around Shikamaru’s neck, hugging him tightly. “If she says no, then I’ll marry you, okay?”

Shikamaru laughed, returning her embrace. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The next day was bright and sunny, and Mirai asked to go to the park where she often liked to play. The park also happened to be nearby the missions’ office, and there was always someone she knew wandering through to give her attention.

Today, the park was busy, and Mirai pressed close to her mother, little legs tight on Kurenai’s waist, and arms around her neck, observing the activity.

Kurenai waved to Hinata, who smiled shyly back, and came across to say hello.

Mirai wasn’t interested in her. She was looking for someone in particular, as she always did.

Finally, she lit up.

“Mama,” Mirai strained almost out of Kurenai’s arms, pointing across the park. “Shika!”

How Mirai had spotted Shikamaru through the crowd was a mystery. The park was dotted with shinobi, including Kurenai’s former team, the majority of Team Seven, Shikamaru’s team and even a few stragglers. It was unclear what had drawn them all to the same place – nostalgia, perhaps, or a series of overlapping missions.

Kurenai sighed. “He’s busy.”

Hinata approached, smiling warmly. “Good morning Mirai.”

Kurenai returned the smile. “Sorry, Hinata, she’s distracted.”

“Watching Shikamaru again?” Kiba appeared at her other side, shaking his head with a grin.

“She’s obsessed with him,” Shino added, close by.

“Who’s obsessed with who?” Ino cut in sharply, wondering if she was missing any gossip.

“Mirai,” Sakura said, flanking Ino’s side, with Chouji and Sai nearby. “Obsessed with Shikamaru.”

“That is true,” Ino laughed. “She really is.”

“I want to go to Shika,” Mirai said.

“He’s busy,” Kurenai tried to soothe her. “Maybe another day.”

“Yes, he’s working,” Sakura added, looking across the park where Shikamaru and Temari were walking slowly, squinting at a scroll. “Temari isn’t here for much longer and they have a lot to do before she leaves.”

“She can’t leave,” Mirai shrilled indignantly. She pointed firmly, voice rising with conviction. It was loud enough for every shinobi nearby to hear. “She’s not allowed to leave ‘cause she’s gonna marry Shika!”

The silence that fell over the park was spectacular. Ino was about to speak when Mirai added, “He hasn’t asked yet but she’ll say yes because Shika’s the best.”

Then, as though she hadn’t just shocked a generation of shinobi into total silence, she studied her fingers. “Mama, can we have biscuits for snack?”

The hope that this declaration hadn’t reached Shikamaru and Temari was dashed the moment Ino looked in their direction. Both were frozen in place, with Temari looking strangely purple and all the colour drained from Shikamaru’s face.

The deafening silence continued.

“What did she say?” Naruto piped up from seemingly nowhere.

“ _Shh_ ,” Mirai scolded. “It’s a secret.”

Shikamaru was still frozen in place, mind whirling at an unhealthy speed, trying to figure out what to do next. He was uncharacteristically slow, and it was Temari who moved first. Without a word, without a glance left or right, she made an abrupt turn around and began leaving the park.

Shikamaru shook himself from his daze a few seconds later, scrambling to gather his thoughts.

“Temari,” he squeaked, following her half-heartedly. “Uh, wait?”

Temari did not abate her speed and did not look back at him. She marched across the park very purposefully. The crowed parted without question, silently giving her the space she clearly desired.

“Temari,” Shikamaru tried again.

Her reply was to reach one hand back, and grip the top of her fan firmly.

Shikamaru stopped, knowing the gesture for what it was – a warning. He watched her leave, a pained frown on his face, and at least a dozen ninja watching him. A distinctly Sai-sounding snicker resonated somewhere to his left.

“Shika,” Mirai bounced delightedly to his side. She stretched her arms out. “Up!”

Bewildered and confused, Shikamaru did so without question, leaning down to pick her up. Thrilled, Mirai wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning. Shikamaru just stared at the path Temari had taken, silent.

“So,” Ino crept up to his side. Chouji came to his other side. “What’s the plan?”

“I don’t know,” Shikamaru said faintly. “I had not planned for this scenario . . .”

“Think fast, genius,” Ino murmured. “This is not something you want to linger.”

“She’s going to kill me,” Shikamaru whispered. “She’s actually going to kill me this time.”

Mirai placed her hands on his cheeks, looking seriously into his eyes. “I’ll protect you, Shika.”

Temari didn’t _do_ embarrassed. She didn’t get bashful over things, she didn’t lose her cool, and she didn’t ever feel like curling up in a hole and dying.

Except for now.

_What the hell was that?_ She was thinking, storming into the apartment she was using. _What was he thinking? What was she thinking? Does anyone in Konoha ever think?_

There was the mortification of having half the Leaf hear about a premature marriage proposal – something they had not discussed much beyond the whole ‘seems troublesome’ argument. There was the horror of Shikamaru clearly having told Mirai about it – had he told anyone else? Was he talking about it? Was he planning it? How many people knew about this – this thing that she had thought was a personal conversation between them but was clearly not.

Temari slammed the door to her apartment, not entirely sure what she was feeling but certain that it was very present and very powerful.

She paced restlessly for a few minutes, stewing in anger. She might have been angry at Shikamaru; she wasn’t sure. But she was definitely angry, and part of her wanted to storm out the village and never come back.

She was weighing up the pros and cons, when there was a gentle knock at the door – so definitely not Shikamaru.

Hesitantly, Temari opened the door to find a woman standing there.

“Hi. I’m Kurenai, Mirai’s mother. We haven’t really met before.”

“Hi,” Temari offered cautiously, unsure as to why Kurenai was there.

Kurenai smiled hesitantly. “Can I come in? I’d like to talk about Shikamaru.”

“I figured Ino would be the first one here.” Temari moved aside, letting Kurenai in.

“Ino is with Shikamaru.” Kurenai explained, looking around briefly. “I’m sorry about Mirai. She just says whatever she’s thinking. And she’s obsessed with Shikamaru, she can’t help but talk about him.”

Temari cocked an eyebrow.

“And about what she said,” Kurenai paused, thinking through her words. “Shikamaru hadn’t breathed a word of it to anyone. I didn’t even know until Mirai said something. Please don’t be angry at Shikamaru.”

Temari let out a tense breath. “I don’t think I’m angry at him. I don’t know. Maybe I am.”

She shifted in place. “I just needed some space. To figure things out. And get over the shock.”

Marriage wasn’t exactly something she had been thinking about, or focusing on, and she didn’t like the thought of being taken by surprise, or the unwelcome myriad of questions that arose at the idea of it. Merging two villages, who lived where, was their relationship even at that point . . . There were thousands of questions she wasn’t prepared to answer.

And now all of Konoha were going to be musing on the same questions.

“I know you’ve got a lot to think about,” Kurenai added. “And I really have no right to ask anything of you, but don’t make any rash decisions.”

Temari eyed her, uncertain of what her next move was going to be. It was a strange feeling, being entirely uncertain of everything, and Temari didn’t like it one bit. She didn’t like anything that was going on.

“Please talk to him,” Kurenai said. “It would kill him to lose you.”

“I’ll think about it.” Temari didn’t know what to do, and the lack of control was unnerving in a way she couldn’t describe.

Kurenai left soon after, leaving Temari to stew in her thoughts, to slowly calm down, to consider the questions that had suddenly been raised. She still had two more days in Konoha, and she knew she would have to talk to Shikamaru before she left.

That felt like the most daunting task.

She spent the rest of the day in her apartment, thankful that Shikamaru made no move to try to find her and talk to her.

At least he knew when to give her space.

Somehow, Mirai had convinced Kiba – who was currently in charge of her – to find Temari. Even though Kiba didn’t have a clue where she was, and Mirai didn’t either, but Akamaru dutifully tracked her down to the Hokage building, and before Kiba could ask what they were doing, Mirai asked to be put down, and marched right up to Temari.

“Hey, Shika’s girlfriend,” she opened boldly, and Temari, who had thus far been quietly reading a report, looked up.

“Mirai!” Kiba yelped, scooping the child up into his arms. “We can’t just bother her like this!”

“She’s mad at Shika and I’m telling her she’s wrong,” Mirai said firmly, and that declaration nearly had Kiba running for his life. Save for her brothers, he didn’t think there was another being on Earth brave enough to tell Temari she was wrong.

Temari raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“You,” she squirmed in Kiba’s arms, trying to get down again. “Are wrong!”

Kiba clamped a hand across her mouth. “We were just leaving, Temari, sorry to bother you-“

“No, let her say her piece,” Temari said. She put the report down, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared at Mirai. “Okay, kid, what’s the problem?”

Mirai, best she could pinned to Kiba’s chest, drew herself up. “You are being mean to Shika. He is the bestest person ever, and now he’s upset. That,” Mirai huffed, “Is your fault!” She pointed an accusing finger.

“I am so sorry,” Kiba said, aghast. “I had no idea what she was going to say.”

“Shika is the bestest person in the world,” Mirai continued boldly. “And he said he’s marrying you, because he loves you, so you have to marry him, because I said so!”

Temari couldn’t help a small smile. “Is that so?”

“Otherwise you can’t be his girlfriend anymore, and I will be instead,” Mirai jutted her chin out stubbornly. “So there.”

All the colour drained from Kiba’s face, and he backtracked rapidly. “We’re just gonna go, and please don’t kill me-“

“Hold on,” Temari said, and Kiba froze obediently in place.

Mirai crossed her arms, with some difficultly, and stared Temari down.

“Kid,” Temari said. “Why don’t you help me find Shikamaru?”

Shikamaru was lying on a hill, eyes tracking clouds across the sky, deep in thought.

“Shika!” Mirai bounded to him, flopping onto his stomach. “Look! I brought your girlfriend to see you!”

Shikamaru startled upright, scrambling around to face Temari. “Temari. Oh my god. Um, I’m sorry, seems like the most important thing to say first, then, uh,” he hesitated. “I was going to find you. To talk to you. About . . .”

She held up a hand. “Hold on a second.”

Shikamaru snapped his jaw shut. He stood very still, only moving one hand to grip Mirai’s fingers as she fumbled to hold his hand.

Temari drew in a deep breath. “Okay, um . . . Once I finished being so mad at you I planned your murder in great detail-“

Shikamaru flinched, but nodded resignedly.

“- I got to thinking.” She hesitated. “I mean, I’m still pretty mad. But I think that’s because you surprised me. I’m not mad because of what you asked – well, you haven’t _asked,_ technically.”

Shikamaru gripped Mirai’s hand a bit tighter, and she took a small, protective step forward, placing herself between them.

Temari glanced at the child, then back at Shikamaru. “You know, when I was watching you the other day, with Mirai . . . it made me think. And feel things. I realized I really like the way you look with children. It’s . . . a side of you I hadn’t seen. But I want to see more of. So I’m not going to give you up just because of a, well, rather large miscommunication.”

“What?” Shikamaru raised his head. “You’re . . . okay with all this?”

“I’m not ready to get married. Yet. I’m not ready to answer all those questions. But I’m also not ready for things to end between us. I’d like to keep going, and see where we end up.” She looked at Mirai. “. . . But maybe stop discussing major life changes with people who cannot keep their mouths shut.”

“That’s fair enough,” Shikamaru said slowly. He cleared his throat uncertainly. “You realize, though, that this probably won’t blow over? People will talk. People are going to keep asking you what’s happening between us. So, we should figure out what our answers are going to be to all those questions . . .”

He took in a deep breath. “If you want to say no . . . that’s fine. It really is. And I’ll-“

“Hey, you have to marry him,” Mirai insisted, glaring at Temari. “You’re his girlfriend, and that’s what girlfriends and boyfriends do. You can’t say _maybe_. That’s not how it works.”

Shikamaru grimaced at Mirai’s forwardness, but to his surprise, Temari’s expression softened.

“How does it work, then?” she asked.

Mirai huffed, and squared her shoulders haughtily. “Shika has to ask you to marry him – he’s gotta get down on one knee, and he’s gotta have a beautiful ring with shiny diamonds in it, and he’s gotta tell you that he loves you and you have to marry him. Then you say yes.” She sent a reproachful look at Shikamaru. “That’s the right thing to do. So do that.”

“Um, Mirai, it’s not as simple as that,” Shikamaru said carefully.

“Do you have a ring with you?” she asked.

“Well, no . . .”

“Hm,” she looked at Temari again. “I suppose you did say you were only asking in a few months. So that’s okay. But she still has to say yes.”

“I’m so sorry,” Shikamaru muttered, rubbing a hand across his eyes, feeling an oncoming headache. “If you don’t want to work together on stuff anymore, I’ll understand.”

Temari ignored him, crouching down to get level with Mirai. “Would you be happy if I said yes to him?”

“Yeah,” Mirai nodded, taking a shy step back at Temari’s closeness. “Because Shika’s the best.”

“He is, isn’t he?” Temari looked up at Shikamaru, smiling softly.

He was tense, jaw clenched.

“Tell you what,” she said to Mirai. “If you make him get a ring, I promise I’ll say yes.”

“Really?” Her face lit up.

“You’ve known Shikamaru for a very long time,” Temari said. “So you know him the best. If you say he’s worth saying yes to, I’ll have to believe you.”

“Temari,” Shikamaru began, but she held up a hand to silence him.

“But if I do say yes,” Temari continued. “You have to promise that you’ll help me with Shikamaru. Because he can be lazy, and needs a lot of care, and I’m not sure I can manage that all by myself.”

“I’ll look after him,” Mirai promised solemnly. “I’ll take very good care of him when you’re away.”

“That’s settled, then,” Temari straightened up, looked Shikamaru in the eye, and said sincerely, “If you’re serious. If you really want to.”

“I do,” he breathed, hardly daring to believe the way the conversation was going.

“Then yes,” Temari murmured. “I know it’s the wrong time, and I know things will get complicated. But my answer is yes. I will marry you. Eventually.”

Shikamaru just gaped at her, a sudden warm rush taking over his body. He stood in stupefied silence, until Mirai tugged at his hand, and whispered, “Up?”

Without thinking about it, without taking his eyes off Temari, he hoisted Mirai into his arms. Standing there, with a child held between them, felt oddly right.

“You have to kiss,” Mirai added. “That’s what people do who get married.”

“Later,” Temari said. “When you’re not around.”

That made a wry smile break out over Shikamaru’s face, and he met her eyes knowingly. “Thank you,” he mouthed, and he knew she understood. It was thank you for not leaving, for not storming off, for not being too angry, for not blaming Mirai for anything, for accepting her, and accepting him, and most of all, for saying yes.

“I want to go to the wedding,” Mirai craned her head back to stare at Shikamaru.

He smiled at her, and promised, “You’ll be the first person we invite.”


	2. Looking For Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, but this is my favourite chapter.

Shikamaru was good at thinking.

It was probably his most redeeming quality.

He analyzed, and analyzed, and over-analyzed some more with every situation in his life. Even the unimportant ones. Yes, it really did take ten minutes to answer his mother’s question of ‘How would you like your eggs,’ because the answer would affect the whole day.

So it wasn’t out of the blue at all when he asked, lying on his back and staring at clouds, “You ever think of us getting married?”

Temari’s hand tightened in his fractionally. It might have gone unnoticed if he hadn’t been who he was. He heard her turn her head, no doubt to look at him, but he was watching a wispy white cloud string itself along through the sky and didn’t look back at her.

“Yeah, I do.”

He made a considering noise. “Hm. Good to know.”

She sighed. It was a heavy sound considering what they were discussing. When she pulled her hand free of his and sat up, staring at him with a worried frown, he knew something was going to happen.

She studied him for a moment, before adding, “It won’t be easy. Suna’s gonna pitch a fit, and everyone’s going to lose their minds. Whatever you’ve pictured in your head, it’s all wrong. This isn’t going to be something that just happens. We’re going to have to fight for it, and fight hard. And even then, there are no guarantees.”

While she was outlining the inevitable demise of their latest milestone, he sat up as well, fumbling a cigarette out of his pocket and into his mouth. He lit it up while she continued; she had always been better at talking than he was anyway.

“Gaara won’t like it; it’ll be such a headache for him. No one will like it. There’s so many obstacles, and I don’t get to just make choices like that alone – I mean, _I’m going to_ , but that’s a whole ‘nother can of worms. We’re setting ourselves up to fail.”

He watched the cloud change shape again. It was free and soothing. “So that’s a yes from you?”

She looked surprised. “Of course it’s a yes.”

“Good.” He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and held it out. “Here.”

Temari did not take it. She eyed him. “Is this really your idea of a proper proposal?”

“According to you, it’s the only thing that’s going to go smoothly, so why make a fuss?” He flicked the box open with his thumb, muttering under his breath, “Troublesome woman.”

The ring was small and gold.

Shikamaru cleared his throat, sounding a bit sheepish, “I didn’t think you’d want a big fancy ring since you don’t really like jewellery. So its small and not much, but you’ll know what it means and I’ll know what it means, so . . .” He paused, waiting to see if she would speak. When nothing but silence greeted him, he added, nervously, “Please say something.”

Temari’s expression was unreadable. She finally took the ring, turning it around and studying it. She sighed. “This isn’t going to be easy . . .”

“Tem,” Shikamaru exhaled a cloud of smoke. “If I was looking for easy, I wouldn’t be marrying you.”


	3. A Knife Attempt

Temari doesn’t have many regrets in life.

But letting Kankuro know she was going to marry Shikamaru was rapidly making it’s way to the top of the list.

“Oh, oh, I know,” Kankuro added, with a fanfare wave of his arms. “Fireworks, and explosions, and-“

“No,” Temari snapped, rapidly considering smacking her face into the kitchen table over and over until she couldn’t hear Kankuro’s fanciful musing anymore.

“ _Fire dancers_ -“

“What are we planning?” Gaara asked mildly, entering the kitchen.

“Tem’s going to marry Shikamaru,” Kankuro announced cheerfully.

Gaara stopped in his tracks, and stared at her.

She raised an eyebrow. After a short silence, she asked, “Got a problem with that?”

“No,” Gaara relaxed. “Not at all. Do you need help with anything?”

“Do we have any fireworks?” Kankuro asked, ignoring the glare Temari shot his way.

“I don’t need help,” Temari said. “I’ve got everything under control.”

“Isn’t Shikamaru visiting tomorrow?” Gaara asked.

“Yeah, so we need a plan _now_ ,” Kankuro said cheerfully. “Do you think we can get twelve dozen white doves on such short notice?”

Gaara looked doubtful.

“I don’t need doves,” Temari groaned. “Stop being ridiculous.”

“You have to ask him properly, though,” Kankuro argued.

“Traditionally, Suna proposals are done with a weapon,” Gaara mused.

“Yes, good plan, start off a life together by threatening him,” Temari rolled her eyes.

“That _is_ how you started your life together,” Gaara replied, looking nonplussed at Temari’s agitation.

“I don’t need a weapon, or anything,” Temari huffed. “I just need . . . I don’t know, what if he says no?”

“Then you have an immediate use for the weapon,” Kankuro said, shrugging. “Drag his corpse into the desert, pretend it never happened, and move on. Konoha can suck it.”

“Could we not start an international war over this?” Gaara requested politely. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Tem likes trouble,” Kankuro said.

“You’re banned from helping,” Temari muttered. “Both of you are. I’ll figure it out myself.”

“Doves,” Kankuro insisted. “Fireworks.”

“Shut up,” she growled. “I can’t focus with your whining.”

“You’re overthinking it,” Gaara said. “Shikamaru will be perfectly happy any way you ask him. You don’t need all the drama Kankuro is describing. Keep it simple.”

“Not too simple,” Kankuro interjected. “You don’t want him to think you’re not going to put effort into anything.”

“Why not?” Temari asked. “He doesn’t put effort into anything.”

“Have you considered sky writing?” Kankuro said eagerly. “He likes clouds, doesn’t he? It’s the same thing.”

“A lot of your ideas seem to involve arson,” Gaara pointed out. “Perhaps we should leave the decision to Temari. Unless she needs help.”

“I don’t need help,” she snarled.

“If you do,” Gaara replied calmly. “We are right here.”

Temari flopped onto the couch in a heap of exhaustion, uncertain of what she wanted, but very certain she wanted things to happen. She rubbed a hand across her eyes, wondering what was an appropriate time to give up on being awake and just go to bed.

“Photo album!” Kankuro shot up from behind the couch.

“Fuck!” Temari leapt to her feet. “What the hell are you doing there? You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“You can put together photos and the last one is a ‘will you marry me’ one. Go get changed, I’ll make the sign!”

“I told you to stop interfering!”

“I’m helping!”

“You’re not helping!”

“Temari,” Gaara interrupted quietly from the doorway, before the shouting match could escalate into a physical brawl. “The Konoha team arrived early. Shikamaru’s here.”

She froze in place. “Already?”

“They are just wrapping up the mission and then they are off duty. I told him you were home.”

“You _can’t_ ask him now,” Kankuro wailed. “We aren’t ready!”

“I’ve waited long enough,” she pointed out.

“You can wait a few more days! Please, Temari, don’t ask him now, we need to make it special!”

“It’s not your proposal,” Temari snapped. “Shut up and leave me to do what I want.”

“Kankuro,” Gaara said. “Leave her alone.” He sent Temari a sympathetic look. “We’ll stay out of your way. We’ll be home.”

“I might not even ask tonight,” Temari hedged. “Might wait a bit.”

“Do whatever feels right,” Gaara said sensibly. “We’ll give you some space.”

Kankuro dropped onto the couch with a grumble.

“Promise you won’t jump out and ruin everything?” Temari asked. “You won’t appear from nowhere and interfere?”

“We will stay away from you,” Gaara promised solemnly. “No interference.”

“Okay,” Temari bit her lip. “Maybe I’ll ask him tonight. Maybe.”

Gaara nodded, looking calm. “Good luck. Let us know how it goes.”

One thing Shikamaru absolutely loved about the desert was the sunsets.

The colours streaked the skies, vibrant and alive, and the air was warm and pleasant and the entire image made him feel like the world was a beautiful place.

So he hadn’t objected to Temari hauling him out onto the dunes the moment the light started to fade and the shadows started to lengthen, and now they stood and watched the sky light red and orange, hand in hand, surrounded by heat and silence.

He was happy to linger, to wait, knowing she had something to say.

Temari stayed uncharacteristically silent, her face set in a frown.

The horizon was still orange, but the stars were beginning to peep out high above them, when Shikamaru squeezed her hand lightly.

“I know you’ve dragged me out here for something,” Shikamaru said, eying her. “I just can’t figure out what.”

She stared at the sand. “Needed to ask you something.”

“Sounds serious.” He faced her. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. It’s fine.”

She fell silent again, and he waited patiently. The gesture made Temari’s chest flare with warmth, because he was so willing to wait and let her take her time. No pressure, no expectations. Just acceptance.

It gave her courage, and she breathed in sharply, surprised to find that the words she wanted were not hard to say. They felt natural, and ready, and as easily as breathing.

“Marry me,” she said simply.

He blinked. “What?”

“You’re taking so long to ask,” she pointed out.

“Woman, I was planning things-“

“I don’t have a ring, and I don’t have a plan, but I know it’s the right thing to do and I know we both want it,” she added, confidence wavering a bit.

Shikamaru stared at her. She flicked her eyes to his, then away again.

“Temari,” he took her hands in his, holding lightly, lifting one of them up to press his lips lightly to her knuckles. “Yes, of course. Yes.”

She let out a breath in a relieved rush, “That’s a relief to hear.”

“I figured we were out here so if I said no you could kill me and leave my body in the desert, although my answer was going to be yes anyway, even without the threat of death.”

“Killing you was Plan D,” she grinned, and Shikamaru chuckled. “But you’re a smart man. You wouldn’t say no.”

“I wouldn’t,” he agreed.

She gazed at him, letting the moment of silence linger.

“It used to be tradition to propose with a weapon, the idea being that you would fight for that person. And kill someone, if there was any competition around,” she added.

Shikamaru took a half step back. “Uh . . . What?”

“But we don’t really do that anymore,” Temari assured. “Although, the weapon still remains. I didn’t get one, though. Kankuro was talking shit all day, and Gaara was trying not to start a war, and I didn’t have time to get a decent knife. I will-“

She broke off, and Shikamaru jerked back another reflexive half step as a small cloud of sand floated between them, helpfully offering a black handled, gleaming knife. They both stared at it for a second, before Temari whipped around to face the dune behind them.

“Sure hope no one is fucking _spying on us_ ,” she snarled at the dune.

The desert remained silent, and when she turned her irritated look back at Shikamaru, he was smiling at her softly, eyes glowing fond. It didn’t calm her down.

“Excuse me,” she snatched the knife up. “I have to uphold a Suna tradition and kill people who are interfering with my engagement-“

“Leave them,” Shikamaru caught her other arm. “They mean well.”

“If they know what’s good for them they’ll _fuck off back home_ ,” she shouted the last part, and the little cloud of sand hastily retreated. She huffed, still frowning, and muttered, “Idiots.”

“Hey,” Shikamaru said softly, trying to draw her attention back to him. “Temari. Don’t ruin my moment.”

She relaxed a bit, refocusing on him, face softening into a smile. She stared at their joined hands. “I know it wasn’t perfect, and I know you would do it better, but . . . I was tired of waiting.”

“I was going to ask you,” Shikamaru assured.

“I beat you to it. You were being too slow.”

He sighed. “Fine. Consider that your rematch that you keep going on about. You win.”

She squeezed his hand. “I still want a decent rematch.”

“We have the rest of our lives together for you to nag me about it,” Shikamaru said.

Temari tugged him, turning back towards the village. “Come. I want to show off my fiancé to my brothers.”

Shikamaru followed her willingly, but eased the knife away from her. “Maybe I should hold this.”

When they returned home, both Gaara and Kankuro were sitting quietly at the kitchen table, with Gaara reading a book and Kankuro enjoying a sandwich. Temari glared at them both, but didn’t let go of Shikamaru’s hand.

“So, what did he say?” Kankuro asked innocently, chewing slowly.

“You know exactly what he said,” Temari snapped.

“Well, yes,” Gaara shrugged a shoulder and didn’t look up. “But we knew before you asked.”

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. “How could you have known what I’d say?”

“Everyone says you’re a genius,” Gaara said evenly. “And only an idiot would say no to Temari.”


	4. Proposal Interrupted

“Since we’ve been dating, I feel like my whole life is better. You complete me. You’ve shown me that I can’t live in a world that doesn’t have you in it.” Shikamaru drew in a deep, nervous breath. “And I’m tired of saying goodbye to you, and I’m tired of being half a world away, when I know we can be together if we just try hard enough. And so,” he swallowed. “I know things won’t be easy but when you’re by my side I feel like I can achieve anything. Will you marry me?”

The deer snorted in his face.

Shikamaru sighed, wiping a hand across his face. “Too cheesy?”

The forest around him was silent, except for his own mumblings, and the deer in front of him looked none too impressed with being used as a practice dummy for proposing.

“I just want to get it right,” he said. “Nothing feels like enough. There are no words that let her know what she means to me.”

A young fawn skittered past, jumping up merrily, and bolting away. How free and frivolous, he thought. While he was sitting in the dirt trying to figure out how to convince Temari that they should spend the rest of their lives together. He slouched, defeated, and the deer licked his nose.

He snapped the ring box closed again. “Since you’re not giving me any help, maybe I need to find someone who will.”

The deer cocked her head to the side, before turning and mincing delicately away with a flick of her tail.

Temari was arriving in Konoha in a few days, and Shikamaru had been spending the last few weeks psyching himself up to ask her to marry him, and spectacularly failing at building up his courage, and now he was feeling the pressure.

He figured this was one of those situations where time wouldn’t help, and the sooner he asked her, the better. Which was why he had very determinedly set his sights on _this_ visit, panicked, calmed himself, panicked again, and then sought out every deer within the forest in an attempt to figure out what to say, because he would die before practicing on another human being.

His mother had very sternly told him that everything had to be perfect – _Temari is a princess, and much too good for you, so don’t you dare half ass this like the lazy bastard you are._

“Temari,” he tried again, musing to himself as he walked through the forest. “You are the most important person in my life. And the reason I am who I am today.” He tripped over a tree root, and stumbled forwards, nearly smacking face first into another tree.

It was like the whole universe was against his proposal going well.

“Mom,” he called, once he was close to home. “I have no idea how to propose.”

“Oh, honey, are you still stressing over that?” Yoshino appeared in the doorway. “I’ve told you, just speak from the heart and it’ll be enough.”

Shikamaru sighed.

“At least, I hope so, because if you ruin this she will kill you,” Yoshino added, and it did nothing to soothe Shikamaru’s nerves. “I hope she still comes over to visit afterwards. I’ve grown very fond of her.”

“Mom,” he groaned. “Stop putting ideas like that into my head. I shouldn’t be fearing for my life.”

Yoshino cocked an eyebrow. “I disagree.”

“Just . . . stop making me nervous.” Shikamaru was ninety per cent sure Temari was going to say yes. Provided he asked right, of course, because as much as she liked to deny it, Temari was a drama queen at heart. So Shikamaru had to make sure he had every last detail planned and perfectly executed.

He needed to sweep her off her feet, because she wasn’t given to whimsy and unless he pulled out all the stops she might say no, just because.

And then he’d have to plan another proposal, and do it better than the last one, and live in agonizing anticipation for months until she deigned to visit again.

There was a lot riding on this. Mostly his sanity.

“I’m going to find another deer,” he muttered. “They can’t all be avoiding me.”

“You might try proposing to a wall,” Yoshino said. “They are less likely to flee.”

Vaguely, Shikamaru had a plan taking shape in his head. But, since romance and girls were not one of the topics he was well versed in, he gathered his best friends to a small, open-air restaurant near the flower shop for additional assistance.

Ino was always keen to help, Chouji was his best friend, and Naruto was an expert in being completely over the top and would, without a doubt, find some way to add flare to whatever Shikamaru thought of. Also, Naruto had heard Shikamaru inviting Ino and Chouji out to lunch, and had invited himself along.

Shikamaru knew from experience that he could not be dissuaded.

So it was that Shikamaru was sitting in a nervous heap, with Ino eying him shrewdly, Chouji happily eating lunch, and Naruto sitting up with wide eyes and looking like he was ready for something profound to happen.

“I need help,” Shikamaru said, voice trembling only slightly.

His friends crowded in, Ino pressed forwards the most eagerly.

“You can’t say anything,” he added, and Naruto’s jaw dropped.

“Oh my god, you killed someone didn’t you? And we have to hide the body?”

“Why would I need help for that?” Shikamaru wondered. “More to the point – why would you assume that’s what I did?”

“It’s always the quiet ones,” Ino mused. “Let’s face it, Shikamaru, you could snap at any moment.”

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Shikamaru grumbled. “Just shut up and listen. I need help with something much more important.” He dropped his voice to a low whisper, “I’m going to ask Temari to marry me-“

“ _Oh my god_ ,” Naruto screeched, “That’s _better_ than killing someone!”

Shikamaru slapped a despairing hand across his face. Maybe asking Naruto wasn’t the best plan. Maybe it should have just been Chouji.

“When? Does she have any idea? Do her brothers know? What do you need? How can we help?” Ino belted out rapidly. “Just say the word and we’ll be there; you can’t mess this up. Temari is the best thing that’s ever happened to you, don’t you dare fuck up the proposal!”

“I know she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Shikamaru said wearily. “That’s why I’m asking for help. Because I want everything to be perfect.”

He cleared his throat. “Look, she gets here later today.”

“Way to leave everything to the last minute,” Ino scoffed.

“I’m not asking her today,” Shikamaru snipped. “But I need some help setting things up. I can’t be in two places at once-“

“I can,” Naruto chirped.

“- And since I’ll be with Temari all day, I have to, unfortunately, rely on other people.”

“We won’t let you down,” Chouji said solemnly, but Shikamaru knew that already. Chouji, at least, was reliable.

Naruto looked like he was about to have a stroke. “Where are you taking her? Gaara didn’t say anything. You did tell them, right? Isn’t that, like, a thing?”

“Can you just trust that I have everything under control? I’m not going to mess this up.”

“You need to put in effort,” Ino insisted. “Really make things amazing!”

“Yes, I’ll-“

“Oh, she’s going to be so happy,” Naruto gushed, and Shikamaru was getting tired of being interrupted. “Gaara says she misses you when she’s in Suna.”

“Okay, but-“

“Do you have everything?” Chouji asked. “A ring? A nice place to go for dinner?”

“Condoms?” Ino offered.

Shikamaru sent her a look. “Shut up.”

“You should be planning!” Naruto exclaimed. “Not sitting here with us!”

“I’m _trying_ ,” Shikamaru snapped. “But everyone keeps interrupting me!”

Naruto snapped his jaw shut with an audible click, and sat up very straight. Shikamaru sent each of them a glare in turn. Naruto looked contrite, Chouji raised an eyebrow at him, and Ino was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“Look,” Shikamaru began, after a suitable silence. “I’m taking her up the hill we like to cloud watch on. Well, I like to cloud watch there.”

“She likes to make out?” Ino guessed.

“Pretty much. Now, I need you guys to set up lanterns all around to make a nice-“

“Aw,” Naruto cooed. “That’ll look so pretty!”

“Let me finish. I need you to set up lanterns to make nice, atmospheric mood lighting-“

“With a path of flowers,” Chouji added wistfully. “Leading to a flower circle.”

Shikamaru had no idea his male friends were such hopeless romantics. He sent Ino a questioning look, and she shrugged.

“I can do it,” she said nonchalantly. “I know exactly the kind of flowers to use.”

“Oooh, roses and tulips,” Naruto butted in eagerly and Shikamaru wondered if it was Hinata’s girly influence, or if the over-active loudmouth had always been this prone to whimsy.

“Can we please hide in the bushes with cameras?” Ino begged. “And, oh god, what are you going to wear? You cannot propose to Suna’s princess looking the way you do.”

That sounded mildly offensive, but Shikamaru didn’t have time to dwell on it. “We’ll go out to dinner first-“

“I know just the place,” Chouji put in. “It’ll be the most romantic dinner you’ve ever had.”

That wouldn’t be hard to accomplish. Shikamaru nodded, “Thanks, but-“

“Have you planned a speech?” Ino demanded, and Naruto bounced in his seat.

“Aw, a long, heartfelt speech,” he added. “About how much she means to you.”

“Yes, I’m working on it-“

“Tell us!” Ino nearly leapt to her feet. “I want to hear it!”

“No!”

“Please,” Naruto begged. “Please, please, _please_! We wanna hear your romantic speech!”

Chouji nodded. “It might be good to practice.”

“I’ve _been_ practicing. Why do you think there’s so much deer snot on me?”

“Practice on me,” Ino squealed. “I won’t snot on you.”

Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hand. “Will you all stop trying to take over? I don’t need to practice a speech; I need you to prepare the hill. Lanterns, flowers. That’s all. That’s all I need. I have everything else under control.”

“Are you sure?” Ino asked. “You haven’t forgotten anything?”

“I haven’t,” he nodded slowly, ticking things off in his head. “It’s all decided.”

“Run us through the plan,” Naruto bounced in his seat, eyes sparkling.

“Fine. I’ll take Temari for a nice dinner-“

“Don’t get drunk,” Ino ordered.

“I won’t. Nice dinner, then we’ll take a walk around the village – which we do a lot so it won’t be suspicious – and since it’s a nice evening we’ll go up onto the hill, and when we get there the whole place will be lit by lanterns and covered in flowers and then I’ll do my proposing. _Now_ will you trust that I have it under control?”

“I think it sounds perfect,” Chouji said, and Shikamaru felt a flash of affection for his friend.

“It would also help if she didn’t suspect anything,” Shikamaru said, glaring right at Ino. “So if you see her, don’t say anything.”

“It would probably also help if I hadn’t heard all that,” an all too familiar voice put in, and Shikamaru felt his heart sink.

He didn’t dare turn around, just let his expression sink into a grimace.

The rest of the table was frozen in place. Ino recovered first, “Oh, hey, Temari, you’re here early.”

After all Shikamaru’s careful planning and over thinking and over analyzing, and she just waltzes into Konoha and ruins it all. He flopped forward in defeat, face down on the table, and wondered why the world hated him so much. Was it too much to ask that he pulled off a flawless proposal for his girlfriend who was so exceptionally out of his league it was a miracle she would be seen in public with him?

He couldn’t look at her. He couldn’t face her.

He just wanted to die there and let the day finally be over.

He should have known Temari would take perverse pleasure in seeing him squirm, because she asked brightly, “So, how are you?”

All he could think to do was make a sound like a dying whale.

The rest of his friends stayed strangely silent. Well, he wasn’t going to speak first. He was too busy figuring out how to time travel so Temari never heard anything he said. Or the most painless way to kill himself, because he knew she would never, ever let this go, and he knew from experience that she was exceptional at holding a grudge. (And relentless in her teasing.)

A long, silent minute passed. He knew Temari was probably waiting for him to babble up some excuse, to try to backpedal and save the conversation, but if there was one thing he could outmatch her in, it was the silent treatment.

“We’re fine,” Ino eventually answered Temari, in a slow, considering tone of voice, no doubt looking between her and Shikamaru and wondering how to proceed. “. . . How are you?”

“Made great time getting into Konoha,” Temari said, as though this was a normal day and a normal conversation and Shikamaru wasn’t dying of embarrassed anguish right in front of her.

After another long, awkward silence, Shikamaru felt Temari jab him in the back with a finger.

Shikamaru stayed planted into the table, wishing the earth would open up and just swallow him, and he would never have to speak to anyone ever again.

“Do you have a ring?” Temari asked, sounding absolutely delighted at his despair.

With a depressed groan, Shikamaru dug into his pocket and plonked the ring box onto the table without daring to lift his head. He let gravity drag his arm down again to lay against his side in a pathetic heap. Maybe he would melt into the floor and be done with life.

He heard the box click open, and flinched at the sound.

The following silence was so brittle that he almost lifted his head. Everyone seemed to be collectively holding their breath, and he hoped they all died of oxygen deprivation and no one ever brought this day up again.

“Sure, why not?” Temari said.

Shikamaru cracked one eye open, looking blearily at her. “What?”

“I mean,” Temari shrugged, plucking the ring from its box. “Might as well.”

He continued to half stare at her, stunned into silence.

Ino opened her mouth to speak, seemed to think better of it, and remained quiet as well.

Temari set the empty box back down on the table by Shikamaru’s nose, and patted him absently on the back. “I’m just going to my hotel to put my things down. See you later.”

Smoothly, spectacularly put together, Temari sauntered away.

“What are you doing?” Ino demanded, shoving Shikamaru roughly in the shoulder. “Why is she staying at a hotel and not with you? Go after her!”

“Huh?” he just stared at her, dazed.

“You can’t let her stay in a hotel! Take her home with you! Go,” Ino ordered gruffly. “Go and get your fiancé!”

“My . . .?” He glanced over his shoulder in the direction Temari had gone. Another shout from Ino spurred him into action, and he made a hasty jump over his chair to the street and bolted after Temari.

“Temari!”

She paused, looking back at him. “Yeah?”

“Um, well,” he stopped, feeling all his previous mortification catch up to him. “Uh . . . did you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“The yes. You said yes.”

“Ah, that,” Temari smirked at him, proud and overconfident. “Yeah, I meant that.”

He wasn’t sure what to do with that information. It was taking unusually long to process. He rubbed the back of his neck, “Oh. Okay.”

When she just raised an eyebrow, he heaved a sigh. “You ruined my perfect proposal.”

“I’m gonna ruin the rest of your life, too,” she grinned, all teeth.

“Yeah, you will,” he agreed.

They stood in a moment of undecided silence, then Temari said, “It sounded beautiful.”

“It was going to be.”

She studied him carefully, then her expression softened. “So show me anyway.”

His head jerked up. “What?”

“You went through all the effort. Show me. I’d like to see it.”

He felt enough self-confidence return to offer her a smile. “Can I have the ring back, then?”

She snorted. “No. It’s mine now.”

“But-“

“Mine, crybaby.” She turned away from him, beginning to walk off. After a few paces, she stopped again, eyed him over her shoulder. “You can have the ring back if you fuck up my proposal.”

He sighed fondly, posture slackening in relief. “Tem?”

“Yes?”

“Dinner tomorrow night, then?”

She gave him one of her beautiful smiles, the ones that made his life worth living. “I look forward to it.”


	5. Neither Asked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is probably my second favourite chapter, and very nearly proved that I could write a story in under 500 words. I was close. (It's 573.)

“Shikamaru should be back in the next day or two,” Yoshino said, sipping at her tea. “I’m sorry he wasn’t here to greet you.”

“It’s not a problem,” Temari shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting to be in Konoha. Kinda last minute, so it’s not his fault.”

“You might as well just stay here,” Yoshino offered. “Stay in Shikamaru’s room tonight, I’ll set up the guest room for you later.”

“You don’t have to-“

“Don’t worry about it,” Yoshino waved off Temari’s protest. “It’s always a pleasure to have you around. Shikamaru isn’t the only one who misses you when you go home.”

Temari smiled shyly, looking down into her tea. “Thanks.”

Yoshino let out a grumble as they entered Shikamaru’s room, annoyed at the state of it.

“That boy never tidies up,” Yoshino huffed. “I told him, ‘give me your laundry before you leave’, but does he listen?”

“Nope,” Temari agreed cheerfully, dropping her bag on Shikamaru’s bed.

“Lazy,” Yoshino muttered, bustling about and picking up clothes. “I don’t know why you put up with him.”

“Me neither.” Temari sat down on the bed, looking around the room. It had been a while since she had last been in Shikamaru’s room. The book she had given him was next to his bed, and his desk was cluttered with things, the window left half open and the curtains swaying gently in the breeze.

Yoshino picked a towel off the floor and added it to the growing collection of laundry in her arms. She plucked a t-shirt off the back of Shikamaru’s desk chair, then paused. She looked at Temari, eyes narrowing a bit.

Temari cocked her head to the side, wondering at the look.

Yoshino picked something small off the desk. “He still hasn’t given this to you? I gave this to him months ago; he is terrible with schedules. Here,” she held the object out. “This is yours.”

Temari took the object, not really thinking out about it, until her brain acknowledged that she was holding a ring box. “Um . . .”

“Your brothers are welcome here any time, of course,” Yoshino said, making one last pass around the room to make sure it was tidy enough. “Don’t worry about the clan elders; I’ll sort them out.”

“Um . . .”

“And I don’t want to interfere but a spring wedding would be lovely. You let me know what you need help with.” She flourished out the room, adding over her shoulder, “Dinner will be ready in half an hour, love.”

Temari stayed dumbfounded on the bed, staring at the ring. This was not the way she had imagined any of this going. This was not something she had seen coming. This was . . .

She pulled the ring from the box and scrutinized it, mind churning.

“Oh, what the hell,” she muttered, and slipped it onto her finger.

“Hey, Shikamaru,” she greeted cheerfully, passing him in the halls of the Hokage building.

“Hey,” he said tiredly, looking worn from his mission. “Didn’t know you were in Konoha.”

“Last minute decision. I’ve been staying at your house.” She smiled fondly at him. “I have a meeting now, but we can go out afterwards, if you’re not busy?”

“Not busy,” he muttered. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

“Cool.” She turned to continue on her way, then paused. “Oh, by the way.”

He raised an eyebrow.

She held up her hand. “We’re engaged now.”


End file.
